Three Thousand Miles To You(75)

“My heart breaks every time I think of all the kids out there that are suffering, I want to help them.”

“My advice to you dear would be to study and pass your exams, graduate on time and think about love later. After all Mr Black will wait for you, but the children won’t they need help as soon as possible and they are waiting for a kind loving person like you to help.”

I hear her words and they make sense. Hundreds of kids are out on the streets, suffering and going through the same thing as Adrian has. I have a pang of pain every time I think of what he has been through and if I could just help prevent one child from experiencing that, I smile at Maggie.

“Thanks.”

I walk briskly to my room and close the door behind me. I get my phone and call the Dean at Columbia. “Hello Mrs. Henderson?”

“Yes who am I speaking with?”

“It’s Alanna Hart.”

“Oh Miss Hart how are you?”

“I am good Mrs. Henderson, you said that I would still be able to take my finals does that offer still stand?”

“Of course it does, the exam will be held a week Monday.”

“I see, would it be possible for me to sit the exam at the campus?”

“You haven’t been attending classes and I feel that maybe the board won’t approve of that, can you leave it with me?”

“Yes but I will do whatever it takes.”

“Miss Hart I don’t feel that this will be approved. However as I have said you can take the exam from your home, I could send out a teacher and make sure they supervise you in taking the exam.”

“Can you really do that?”

“Mr Black gave us such a generous and needed donation, I feel that this school owes him for that and I want to repay him by helping you graduate on time. I don’t see how the board can disagree with me on this.”

“Thanks Mrs. Henderson, I will begin studying right away.” That is exactly what I do for the next 48 hours, I study.

Adrian: How is studying?

Alanna: Good,

Adrian: Am I distracting you?

Alanna: No, I was just about to take a break, How are you?

Adrian: I am fine and you.

Alanna: Yes, I am okay, how is business?

Adrian: Really, you are talking to me about business what is wrong Alanna.

Alanna: Nothing is wrong; I am just interested that is all.

Adrian: It has been good baby I have a few new deals.

Alanna: That is good.

Adrian: Alanna you seem different.

Alanna: What makes you think that?

Adrian: The way you are speaking, it seems like you have a lot on your mind please tell me.

Alanna: I do not, I am just studying right now and I have all that in my head.

Adrian: Alanna I know that is not it, tell me the truth.

Alanna: I just cannot get that night out of my head.

Adrian: I knew this would happen if I told you the truth. You think of me differently of me now.

Alanna: No, it is not that Adrian it is the pain and suffering that you went through. The way Alice left you I cannot begin to explain to you the hatred I have for her.

Adrian: Alanna baby, you do not know her. I know that you saw her and you hear me talk about her and she did unforgivable things, but she is not part of our life.

Alanna: How can you say that? She is, I am living in danger because of her.

Adrian: Alanna you are in danger because of me, not Alice.

Alanna: No Adrian, she is the one that brought that man into your life. She was the one that got into debt by him and she is the reason you killed him.

Adrian: Alanna please stop.

Alanna: I am only speaking the truth; you carry around all the guilt, do you not blame her even just a little?

Adrian: Yes, Alanna but what can I do? She left me, she never cared about me do you really expect that she carries guilt?

Alanna: You need to stop feeling guilty. It was not your fault; I cannot go on with you if you do not see that.

Adrian: So what you are saying is if I do not banish my guilt then you will leave me?

Alanna: No, I want you to be able to move on from this, I want to be with you but I cannot have this played out all the time.

Adrian: What are you saying?

Alanna: I feel that we cannot have a life together, until you move past this and stop making it a reason for not being here with me.

Adrian: Alanna I would be there with you, if I could do not you know that.

Alanna: There is nothing stopping you.

Adrian: The Marshalls are stopping me.

Alanna: They already know that I am with you, they have seen us together. They see me with Michael your stepbrother, Adrian there has to be another reason why you are not here.

Adrian: Okay, you want to know the reason.

Alanna: Yes,

Adrian: I cannot watch you die Alanna!

Alanna: That will not happen, and how do you even know for sure that it is the Marshalls, that is after me?

Adrian: They only drive black Lamborghinis!